Compressed-air water pump



Nov. 6, 1923.

W. S. HULSE COMPRESSED AIR WATER PUMP Filed Dec. ll, 1922 2 Shees--SheeI l Nov. e, 1923.y 1,472,839

W. S. HULSE COMPRESSED AIR WATER PUMP Filed Dec. 11, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 W92 fer' 5. HUZSE' l described embodying COMPRESSED-AIR WATER PUMP.

Application led December 11, 1922. Serial No. 606,163.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER S. Hunan, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fine Grove, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressed-Air Water Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

rlhis inventionY relates to compressed air water pumps, and more particularly to a device whereby water is elevated by the pressure of compressed air.

An important object of the invention is to provide means whereby intermediate jets of compressed air may be automatically "ermed to force the water to a higher level.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pump cylinder of this character which is adapted to be submerged and having a shiftable valve shifted by the dilierence of pressure upon opposite sides of the valve when the cylinder is full and when it is empty, this valve controlling the admission of pressure luid to the cylinder for forcing the water therefrom when the cylinder is full.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pump cylinder such as above what may be termed a balance cylinder y means of which the pressure at opposite sides of the valve is periodically unbalanced, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in its construction and arrangement and which may be readily installed for use, and which will be durable and efficient in use.

These and other objects I attain by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein. like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

ln the drawings Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views partially diagrammatic showing a pump constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lower end of the pump;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view ofV the lower end thereof;

Figure 5 is a plan 'view thereof;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; y

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7 -7 of Fi 1re 6; and

igure 8 is an eleva-tion of the upper end thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a main cylinder having the upper end thereof closed, as at 11, and the lower end thereof provided with a port 12 normally closed by an upwardly opening flap valve 13. The head 11 or upper head is provided with a port 14 through which a discharge pipe 15 projects into the cylinder, saiddischarge pipe` terminating adjacent the lower end of the cylinder and being provided with an upwardly opening flap valve 16 normally closing the same. The head 11 is further provided with ports 17,18, '-19 and 20, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The numeral 21 designates a valve casing adapted to be arranged upon the upper surface of the head 11 and having ports 22, 23, 24 and 25 formed therein adapted to align with the ports 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the head 11. The ports 22 to 25 inclusive communicate 'with .a cylindrical bore 26 formed in the valve casing, the ends of which are closed by removable heads 27, and with this bore likewise communicates an inlet port 28 and an exhaust port`29 formed in the valve body. Within the bore 26 a piston valve 30 is slidably mountedhaving ports 31 and 32 formed therein adapted to alternately connect the port 24 with the intake port 28 and port 23 with the exhaust port 29. The throw of the piston valve 30 is regulated by means of a screw 33 extending through the wall of the valve body and engaging in a slot 3ft formed in the piston valve. The ports 22 and communicate with opposite ends of the bore 26 between the ends of the piston valve and the removable heads 27. lilith the port 22 a pipe 35 is connected terminating adjacent the upper end of the cylinder, and with the port 25 a pipe 36 is connected which terminates adjacent the bottom of the cylinder 10 and forms what will hereinafter be referred to as a balance cylinder.

The port 28 of the valve body is in communication with a source of Huid pressure supply, preferably compressed air, through a pipe 3 and the exhaust port 29 communicates with an exhaust pipe 38.H The exhaust pipe 38 is preferably made of a length lll@ extend above the level of the water when the cylinder 10 is submerged, and has'its end bent downwardly, as indicated at 39, so that the trapped air therein will prevent the access of water to the valve. Since the use of the device will necessitate periodical elevation thereof above the level of the water 4to permit draining of the cylinder 10 land its shown in Figure 2, water will enterthrough to be suiliciently. spaced the o ening l2 at the bottom of the cylinder and ll the cylinder to a point approximately indicated at Z. At the same time water `will rise slightly in the balance cylinder or tube 36 due to the head of water contained in the cylinder above the lower end of this tube. This head will cause compression of the air within the tube resulting in ressure beingplaced against the right han end of the valve, there being no pressure above the water within the cylinder or in that space between the head 11 of the cylinder l() and the level Z. The ressure at opposite sides of the valve is un alanced with the result that the valve moves to the position shown in Figure 1. If Huid pressure, such as compressed air, is being admitted through the pipe 37, this air will act upon the Water within the cylinder, causing the same to pass through the discharge pipe 15 to the discharge oint. This same pressure will act to furt er compress the air within the tube or balance vcylinder 36, resulting` in the rise of water in the balance cylinder to a point Y and at the'same Vtime in the lowering of the level within the cylinder 10. The pressure within the balancecylinder when the water in the main cylinder l0 reaches the level W and at the plane of this level W is made up lof air pressure on top the water column plus the weight of the water column within the balance cylinder between the levels Y and W. Therefore, there is a dierence in pressures upon opposite sides of the valve 30 equal to the pressure of the column of water between the points Y and W, and assuming these parts that the pressure is sufficient to shift the valve, the valve again shifts to the position shown in Figure 2. At this point the supply of fluid pressure is cut 0H and the exhaust opened resulting in water againentering the cylinder 10 with the result that the operations above set forth are repeated.

It willbe obvious that the pressure is unbalanced at opposite sides of the valves through the tube or balance cylinder 36 and that this action is entirely automatic, the pump operating continuously so long as the same is submerged and a supply of fluid pressure directed through the inlet 37. It will furthermore be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is merely illustrative and may be to a great extent altered without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself thereto eX- cept as hereinafter claimed.

claim:-

1. ln a pump of the type-described, a cylinder having an inwardly opening check valve, intake and exhaust ports, said cylind er being adapted to be submerged, a discharge for said cylinder having an outwardly opening check valve, a valve shiftable upon unbalancing of the pressure at opposite ends thereof for controlling the intake and exhaust ports, a source of fluid pressure supply in communication through said valve with the intake port, and means whereby the ingress of the water to said cylinder imbalances pressure at opposite ends of the valve thereby shifting the valve to a position permitting the entrance of fluid pressure to the cylinder.

2. In a pump of the type described, a cylinder having an inwardly opening check valve, intake and exhaust ports, said cylinder bein adapted to be submerged, a discharge or sald cylinder having an outwardly opening check valve, a valve shiftable upon unbalancing of the pressure at opposite ends thereof for controlling the intake and exhaust ports, a source of fluid pressure supply in communication through said valve with the intake port, and means whereby the ingress of the *rler to said cylinder unbalances pressure at opposite ends of the valve thereby shifting the valve to a position permitting the entrance of fluid pressure to the cylinder, said means operating during the discharge of water from the cylinder by the fluid pressure to again imbalance the pressures upon the opposite ends of the valve and thereby return the valve to its initial position.

3. ln a pump of the type described, a cylinder having an inwardly opening check valve, intake and exhaust ports, said cylinder being adapted to be submerged,l a discharge for said cylinder having an outwardly opening check valve, a valve shiftable upon unbalancing of the pressure at opposite endsthereof for tantrolling the intake and exhaust pressure supply in communication through said valve with the intake port, and means whereby the ingress of the water to -said cylinder unbalances pressure at opposite ends of the valve thereby shifting the valve ports, a source of .fluid to a position permitting the entrance of fluid pressure to the cylinder, including a cylinder having its upper end in communication with one end of the valve and its lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the rst named cylinder. v

4. In a pump of the type described, a cylinder having an inwardly opening check valve, intake and exhaust ports, said cylinder being adapted to be submerged, a discharge for said cylinder having an outwardly opening check valve, a shiftable valve for controlling the intake and exhaust ports, a source of fluid pressure supply in communication through said valve with the intake port, means operated by the ingress of the water for shifting the valve to a position permitting the entrance of fluid pressure to the cylinder, including a bore in which said valve operates and with which the valve has a piston lit, and a tube having one end in communication with one end of he bore and the opposite end thereof disposed adjacent the bottom of the cylinder, the lower end of said tube being open to permit the entrance of water therein.

5. In a pump of the type described, a

cylinder having-an inwardly opening check valve, intake and exhaust ports, said cylinder being adapted to be submerged, a discharge for sald cylinder having an outwardly opening check valve, a shitable valve for controlling the intake and exhaust ports, a source'of fluid pressure supply in communication through said valve with the intake port, means operated by the ingress of the water for shiftlng the valve to a position permitting the entrance of uid pressure to the cylinder, including a bore in which said valve operates and with which the valve has a piston fit, a tube having one end in communication With one end of the bore and the opposite end thereof disposed adjacent the bottom of the cylinder, the lower end of s'aid tube being open to permit the entrance of water therein, a discharge pipe in communication and flexibly connected With said discharge for said cylinder, a flexible connection in said fluid pressure supply, and means upon the cylinder for engagement by a hoisting element.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

WALTER S. HULSE. 

